Wedding Tips
If you are planning your wedding, you probably are in need of some useful tips that can save you time and money for your wedding.
Here you have some of the tips that you’ll find throughout our wedding checklists:
Wedding Reception Tips:
Ensure that someone does a test with the soundsystem, microphones, etc. that day before the event.
Find more in our wedding reception checklist.
Bridal Shower Tips:
If there are going to be many guests coming to the wedding from out of town you may consider having the bridal shower one or two days before the wedding day, so that most of the guests can attend.
The bride or a bride’s relative should work out the details of the bridal shower together with the organizer of the shower (usually the maid of honor).
Find more in our bridal shower checklist.
Legal aspects Tips:
You can apply for your marriage license at the local town / city clerk’s office. Sometimes you even have to file in the county where you plan to get married. Marriage license requirementes may differ from each other, depending on the various jurisdictions (state, province, county, etc.) You should check all legal requirements with your local marriage license office or county clerk. If you live in US or plann to get married there, you can find a state by state chart with general marriage license requirements at: www.foreverwed1.com.
A marriage performed in another jurisdiction, even overseas, is usually valid in any state as long as the marriage was legal in the jurisdiction where it occurred.
Depending on the state where you want to get married it is required that couples wait a few days after having applied for a marriage license before they will receive the license. This waiting period varies from one day to one month. Some states, though, do not require a waiting period at all.
Ask for some extra (certified!) copies of the original marriage license (extra fee applies) – especially if you decide to change your name, you will need various of them.
Find more in our wedding legal aspects checklist.
Changing Names Tips:
If you think that changing names is going to be too complicated and make you waste long hours waiting in queues and dealing with bureaucracy, you can use the services of a third party specialized on this topic.
Book your honeymoon using your maiden name (since your passport, driver’s license etc. will still have your maiden name on them).
Find more in our changing names checklist.
Wedding Photography Tips:
Most people realize the importance of this part and invest a good chunk of their budget into the wedding photography -after all, you can never relive those hours for a “retake”. So, make sure when you select a photographer and/or videographer, that they can deliver excellent quality, much diversity, tasteful creativity and are committed to providing you with excellent service and results.
Make sure that the photographer and videographer work well together (if you have both), since they have to do their jobs simultaneously.
It can also be fun to have informal formals (funny family portraits)
If you ask family or friends to serve in the photographer role: clarify payment arrangements and clarify expectations (time committment, type of shots, quality of product)
Find more in our wedding photography checklist.
Wedding Stationery Tips:
When opening gifts, make a list of who gave what so you can specifically thank them (with thank you cards), rather than a generic “thank you for your gift”.
Remember to send thak yous to:
- - those who participated in your gift registry
- - those who sent gifts from afar or through family / friends
- - people involved like caterer, florist, hotel, travel agent, dress store, etc
For the thank you cards consider:
- - using the same paper used for the invitations
- - adding a photo of you / a photo taken of them or with them
- - adding a copy of the CD or photos taken
Find more in our wedding stationery checklist
Wedding cake Tips:
Provide the bakery with exact delivery information (place and time) as well as directions and a map guarantees the delivering process to be carried our smoothly.
It is nice to have an extra table reserved for the wedding cake with enough room around it for everyone.
Have boxes or tupperwear to save and freeze slices for 1-year anniversary.
Find more in our wedding cake checklist.
Wedding Ceremony Tips:
If you wish to have a non-religous ceremony but don’t want to be necessarily married by a clerk at a courthouse, there are several options for you. See this website for more information.
Find more in our wedding ceremony checklist.
Wedding Outfit / Attire Tips:
You need to decide if you’re paying for the attire of others. You may need to do that if you want all to dress alike, unless they can afford the attire themselves.
Prepare emergency kit for the day of: thread, needle, underwear, tampons/pads, aspirin, band aid, hairspray, deodorant, medications, lipstick, mascara, brush, cotton, kleenex, water bottles, nylon stockings, razor…
You may want to do a beauty day. Go some days before with a few friends or partner to get a massage (clarify who pays what). Or perhaps you prefer a deep face cleansing (3 months-1 month-2 weeks before)
Go to the hair dresser for a consultation and check what they charge for bridal party.
Find more in our wedding outfit / attire checklist.
Wedding Rings Tips:
Since the rings will be with you for your entire married life, if you have a tight budget, you may want to invest more heavily in this that the wedding elements that are short-term.
Consider religious values (i.e. Muslim men can’t wear gold)
Find more in our wedding rings checklist.
Wedding Decoration Tips:
Before starting to choose specific decorations it is advisable to decide on the general color scheme of the wedding.
Find more in our wedding decoration checklist.
Wedding Flowers Tips:
Make sure that the flowers’ delivery is well organized: Who will deliver/pick up the flowers? When will they be delivered? Who will receive them and distribute them to the right places (bride, maids, tables, pew bows…)?
Since you will have enough things on your mind during your wedding day, it might be a good idea to organize a responsible helper who is willing to receive the flowers and make sure they get to where they belong.
Find more in our wedding flowers checklist.
Wedding Gifts Registry Tips:
Even though many couples like receiving cash, it usually is not “good manners” to ask for it. If you don’t need anything at the moment, you might register at some stores you like and let people buy you gift cards (which can always be used later on in the future). Otherwise, tell your close relatives who can spread the word.
Find more in our wedding gift registry checklist.
Wedding Activities Tips:
If you want to include games or entertaining activities on your wedding day, you can find lots of ideas in the book 100+ Wedding Games: Fun & Laughs for Bachelorette Parties, Showers & Receptions (100+ series)
If you plan to have relatives or friends calling you live in front of everyone, test this before so that all technical systems work (especially if you are using videoconference): computer, telephone, webcam, internet connection, projector, speakers, microphone…
Find more in our wedding activities checklist.
Wedding Transport Tips:
Ask the rent-a-car for a special offer if you are hiring a decent amount of cars. Check if it’s going to be cheaper to rent 7 or 9-seater vans, normal cars or buses.
Find more inour wedding transport checklist.
Honeymoon Tips:
Many hotels have special offers for newlyweds. Don’t hesitate to ask for such offers, it might really be worth it!
You can also include your honeymoon in your gift registry. It’s a nice way for guests to contribute and you don’t have to bear the total cost of your honeymoon.
Many couples with tight budgets, decide on a smaller wedding but a most memorable honeymoon, as the wedding lasts only a few hours, but the honeymoon several days.
Find more in our honeymoon checklist.